Obviously a problem that Mazda Canada are going to have to address!! Mine also broke this morning...exactly as you have described. Now there is a piece of plastic rattling aroung the centre console.

Oh well. I'll just add it to the warrantly checklist along with autoleveling headlights and headlight washers not functioning, driver side door speaker that sounds like a tin can and milky brown coloured oil on the dip stick!! Only 36 more payments on this lemon!!!

 

Steveo, re headlights and headlight washers: I had the same concerns on both issues. The autolevelling happens at start up only. It does a quick adjust as soon as it detects the angle which can be influenced by the number of people sitting in the car. For example, had two people in the back and while I was facing a garage door, as soon as I turn on the lights, I saw it quickly point he beams downward. It does not constantly adjust the beams as you drive, at least i don't think so.

Headlight washers: Lights must be on. Make sure you have plenty of fluid. It should work on the first time you wash your windshiled and then approx every 5th time. If you have less than 1/2 the bottle filled, it will not wash the headlights because it gives priority to the windshield when you are running low on washer fluid.

Hope, this helps.

 

Steveo, one last thing regarding the milk-brown stuff on the dip stick. Everyone gets it in the winter and it is a non-issue. Its just moisture build up in the neck of the dip stick tube. Used to happen on my Passat as well.

 

Well I can't find out now, until next week about the gear in parking.

The videos were great, everyone single one of them worked, thanks

My hand brake broke fairly easy, and i didn't even exert and effort on putting it back down, just heard a crack, and it was a loud sharp noise.

Funny, my speaker starts to sound a little like garbage on the driver's side door, but I figured was just probably my change in that little compartment on the left rattling around to the bass, no clue now

The headlight washer, you can also test them by turning on your headlights, and giving your windshield wiper lever a quick double pull, when you do the fast double, it washes ur headlights aswell as windshield and doesn't wait until the 5th time (provided your headlights are on) Also check that the little tabs on the bumper that come out aren't frozen shut, and make sure u always have more then half a bottle filled, cause if you don't, and ur headlight washer goes to operate, and only air comes through, u can burn and screw up the motor that operates them (happened to my older car)

As for the milky brown oil the dipsick, apparently it is not a problem, and it is not only a winter problem, I had that crap in august september too.

 

I also have the noisy (creaks and groans) handbrake in the very cold so I use it as little as possible and very gently (no banging it down!). When parking, I usually use reverse if I'm pointing downhill and 1st if uphill (although it really doesn't matter which). There is no way the car should roll if it is in gear with the handbrake off and the clutch engaged.

 

Thanks Shamblerock - You're right about the cold...it was freezing the other day when I checked the oil. It was only on the top half of the dipstick though.....I just immediately assumed it was coolant leaking into the oil pan.

The auto leveling lights are definitely not working. The right headlight is casting a shorter beam, and I have not seen the auto test at start up for at least 3 months. I did stand in front of the car and had my wife spray washer fluid at least a dozen times with the headlights on.....nothing. They used to spray the lights every third spray on the windshield.

The last time I checked my oil was at night at a station with very poor overhead lighting. It took me almost 10 minutes to find the dip stick tube!! An $8 flashlight in the glovebox seems to have fixed the problem :D

Take care,

Steve

 

I might be wrong on this (but I won't admit it :D ) but I was under the impression that the headlight washers only worded if the headlight were turned on.


edit: apparently my reading comprehension is not good :D

 

Rotten, I think Steveo mentioned he had the lights on when his wife sprayed. At least Steveo has seen the lights auto level and headlight washers work properly at one time before so he propbably has a problem.

Steveo, it really does sound like there is a problem that you should have Mazda look into. On the headlight washer issue, you are certain that your reservoir was full. because I think I mentioned below that when it gets to a certain low level it doesn't work, giving priority to the windshield.

As a last ditch effort and if you really want to be absolutely, positively certain that the auto leveling is manfunctioning and you have so much time on your hands that you don't know what to do with yourself, here is an excersize that requires 3 people to conduct this test:

AUTO LEVELLING:

- Park your car about 6 feet from a wall/garage door
- Turn car off
- Have someone sit their butt on the openeing of the trunk (with it open ofcourse!) forcing the car to sag at the back
- While you are standing right beside the wall, have the 3rd person start the car WITHOUT head;lights on.
- Then tell them to turn the lights on
- You should mark on the wall/garage door with one finger where the top of the light first hit the wall and with the other hand mark where the top of the beam actually settled. If no change, you own the problem.

Its a pain in the ***, I know. BTW, they don't move much in any event like a BMW. If you have kids, have them help you out!

The alternative is fight with Mazda!

 

Had my 8 in for regularly scheduled maintenance yesterday. I told the dealer about the broken plastic piece beneath the handbrake. When I picked it up they advised that they ordered the part and it is covered by warranty. Wonder how long before the replacement will break!!!

 

Roadrunner, i'm assuming it will break the first day that is below -15. Mine has been broken for 11 days now, and every single one of those morning has been colder then -20, days which the handbrake would have a hard time staying down, or going down. But since its been broken off, the handbrake goes down smoothly, stays down, and doesn't feel sponge when pushing it down while it tries to rise again. I'm guessing that the plastic piece is the cause of this. Before it broke off i had problems putting it down everytime in cold temperatures, and now goes down easily everyday coincidence????

 

ok...

finally an update for everyone. I left my car at the dealership yesterday (mistake #1) to have the hand brake fixed. In the morning i had my salesmen meet me there and together we walked around the car to ensure that there was no dents, scratches on the car in the morning. We both agreed after inspecting the car that there was no damage to the car. I also asked him to tell service to be extra carefule b/c the last time i left my car with them for the day i got it back with 2 door dents (which the dealership paid to have removed)

So, in the afternoon the service advisor called to tell me that my car was ready and by the way as they were installing the components they scratched the centre console. My immediate reaction is what are these fucken guys doing....

The service advisor told me that they have ordered the new parts and will replace the damaged area.

Later in the evening i went to the dealership to get my car. My salesmen (supper nice guy) took the car in after 5, washed it and kept it inside. When i got there he asked me again, there were no dents/scratches on this car this morning?? to which i responded ur goddman rite.

Well it seems that in the car of the dealership they scratched the front bumper near the left turning signal. something that they deny happened on their lot.

I spoke to the service mgr this morning and he pretty much informed me that they would fix the damaged area, but he is cautious to belive that the same car keeps getting damaged at his dealership.

The only advice i can offer people is dont leave the car all, its better to wait for it.

make sure service is aware of any damage b4 they take the car.

IM VERY VERY VERY PISSED OFF AT THIS DEALERSHIP AND DONT PLAN ON RETURNING TO THEM AGAIN.

 

Damn Carlo, that's some real bad luck

Which dealership is this? That way other 8 owners can walk around their car and show service manager or someone that their car is in perfect condition, that way they get the hint that people are starting to get cautious and worried about leaving their cars there.

 

Ew stop it ! thats nasty lol ewww

 

Yep, happened to me today - I noticed the hand brake plastic broken off as I was going to lunch, must've happened this morning. Weird thing is, it was about 40F all day and most of this week, and the brake handle was fine the entire month of January when it hardly got out of teens. This is my first problem with the car in seven months, so it's too early to panic.

 

This happened to me last year, and it was fixed under warrantee. I rarely park the car outside in the cold, and it broke again this year...

I think that unless they change the material used for the handle, the advice not to use the parking brake in cold weather is probably all we can do. This really should have a TSB.